If there is free will then, presumably, we could have chosen different for
at least some of the decisions we have made. It is impossible to exactly
reproduce past conditions, so it is speculative whether any given decision
could have been otherwise. While we cannot know with certainty whether or
not we have free will, we can nevertheless speculate intelligently.

Many decisions are made without reflections. Insofar as these decisions are
concerned, there does not appear to have been free will at work. What about
decisions about which we deliberate? We donít control either the thoughts or
feelings that come into play in our minds. Further, the process by which we
ultimately make decisions is based on such influences as instinctive
feelings and desires, what people have taught us, and what we have learned
in life Ė all things over which we donít exert control. Therefore, this
mechanistic view of decision-making doesnít seem to involve free will.

Most of us have a sense of free will because we do not experience control
over our decision-making processes. However, free will might be like vision.
We donít feel an external process that forces us to see, but we cannot avoid
seeing if our eyes are open, there is light, and our visual system is
intact. So, this perspective suggests that we might not have free will. Next
week, I will start to consider objections to this position.

The Editor's Corner Essay, "Linked Oppressions: Politics,
Enclosing Land, and Breaking Horses" unpacks the implications for women, the
poor, and animals in a society dinner scene in Jane Austen's Sense and
Sensibility.

In one of the Unset Gems, Friend Francis, the Bishop of Rome,
reminds us that all creatures are connected and must be treated with love
and respect.

Young activists stormed a chick hatchery in Israel (see NewsNotes)
and stopped the grinder into which the male chicks were thrown, defying
police orders to leave. They were arrested and taken out.

Our Pioneer is Catharine Macaulay, England's first woman historian,
who in her Essay on Education compares the oppression of women with that of
animals.

Vegans with little time to cook will especially welcome the tasty
"Easy Roasted Cabbage" in the Recipe column. Angie Cordeiro's
"Chocolate Mousse Banana Cream Pie" takes more time, but is sure to be a
great hit.

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